Handbag

ABSTRACT

Disclosed and claimed herein are handbags which combine both security inspection with personal privacy. The handbag consists of at least transparent outer side panels and a collapsible opaque inner lining. The inner lining detaches and collapses to the bottom of the bag to allow security inspection and is pulled back up and reattached to provide privacy.

FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

The current disclosure relates to handbags. More specifically the current disclosure relates to handbags which combine security with privacy by providing a transparent outer shell and a collapsible opaque inner lining. The inner lining detaches and collapses to allow security inspection and reattaches to provide privacy.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Recently heightened security upgrades have been imposed at many public venues including sport arenas, concerts and other areas where the general public congregate to provide for a safer environment for the public.

For example, the NFL teams implemented an NFL policy this year that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into stadiums. The NFL Committee on Stadium Security in May unanimously recommended the implementation of this measure that will enhance public safety and make it easier for fans to gain access to all stadiums. The recommendation was discussed with all 32 teams at a league meeting in May and will be implemented at all NFL stadiums. The NFL strongly encouraged fans to not bring any type of bags, but outlined what is permissible. Fans were able to carry the following style and size bag, package, or container at stadium plaza areas, stadium gates, or when approaching queue lines of fans awaiting entry into the stadium:

-   Bags that are clear plastic, vinyl or PVC and do not exceed     12″×6″×12.″ (Official NFL team logo clear plastic tote bags are     available through club merchandise outlets or at nflshop.com), or -   One-gallon clear plastic freezer bag (Ziploc bag or similar). -   Small clutch bags, approximately the size of a hand, with or without     a handle or strap can be taken into the stadium with one of the     clear plastic bag options.

The prior security procedures allowed security personal to search through the bags of incoming ticket holders. However, this process has resulted in long lines and long wait times while security personnel search the bags resulting in an aggravated fan base. To shorten lines and wait times, security personnel overlook proper search methods. With the introduction of the new security procedures, security personnel can efficiently and effectively assess the contents of the transparent bags allowing minimal amount of time at the security check points and reducing the length of incoming lines.

Other sports venues are now implementing the “clear bag” security procedures. Recently a new policy announced by the NFL will prevent Ravens fans from carrying most bags into M&T Bank Stadium this season unless they are made of a clear material. Basketball arenas, such as TD Garden, are also implementing the “clear bag” policy. College venues, such as The University of Michigan, Penn State University and Michigan State University do not permit any bags, but are considering the “clear bag” policy.

Other events such as concerts, visits by international personalities, and other events that draw large crowds are developing security procedures that include “clear bag” policy. With the success of this policy one can envision further application of it to, for example, airports, bus terminal, train terminals, subway venues and the like.

While the policy improves safety and efficient entrance of the public to the venues, a severe lack of privacy results. Using a transparent bag in a public environment allows people to view what is being carried. For example, a wallet, a cell phone, a driver's license, money, personal hygiene items and other items not meant to be seen by the general public. Observations of personal items may be embarrassing and may attract an undesirable element.

Thus, while public security is certainly improved using the “clear bag” policy, there remains a significant unmet need to provide for privacy after the security inspection has occurred.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Disclosed and claimed herein are handbags which combine both security inspection with personal privacy. The handbag consists of at least transparent outer side panels and a collapsible opaque inner lining. The inner lining detaches and collapses to the bottom of the bag to allow security inspection and is pulled back up and reattached to provide privacy.

In one embodiment, disclosed and claimed herein is a handbag comprising transparent outer side panels having an outside and an inside, and opaque inner panels wherein the opaque inner panels are collapsible inside the handbag.

In another embodiment, disclosed and claimed herein a handbag comprising transparent outer side panels having an outside and an inside, and opaque inner panels wherein the opaque inner panels are collapsible inside the handbag and further comprising an attachment positioned on the inside of the transparent outer side panels and an attachment on the opaque inner panels, wherein the opaque inner panels are removably attached to the inside of the transparent outer side panels. The attachments may be positioned at least on the top of the inside of the transparent outer side panels and at least on the top of the opaque inner panels.

In another embodiment, disclosed and claimed herein are handbags of the above embodiments wherein the opaque inner panels are configured to be connected to each other at the ends and at the bottom or there is an opaque bottom panel to which the bottoms of the opaque inner panels are permanently attached, and/or there are opaque end panels to which the side ends of the opaque inner side panels are permanently attached.

In further embodiments, disclosed and claimed herein are the handbags of the above embodiments wherein contents of the handbag are not observable through the transparent outer side panels when the opaque side panels are attached to the attachments of the transparent outer side panels and wherein contents of the handbag are observable through the transparent outer side panels when the opaque side panels are detached from the attachments of the transparent outer side panels and placed in a collapsed position.

In further embodiments, disclosed and claimed herein are the handbags of the above embodiments wherein there is a transparent bottom panel to which the bottoms of the transparent outer side panels are permanently attached, and/or there are transparent end panels to which the ends of the transparent outer side panels are permanently attached.

In still further embodiments, disclosed and claimed herein are the handbags of the above embodiments wherein the bottoms of the opaque inner panels are permanently attached to the bottom inside of the transparent outer side panels.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates one handbag embodiment of the current disclosure wherein the opaque inner panels are attached to the transparent outer front panels providing privacy for the contents of the bag.

FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of the current disclosure wherein the opaque inner panels are detached from the transparent outer front panels and in a collapsed position showing the contents of the bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

As used herein, the conjunction “and” is intended to be inclusive and the conjunction “or” is not intended to be exclusive unless otherwise indicated. For example, the phrase “or, alternatively” is intended to be exclusive.

As used herein, the term “and/or” refers to any combination of the foregoing elements including using a single element.

As used herein the term “handbag” refers to any bag which acts as an enclosure and that can be carried by hand, such as, for example, a carry-on, a kit, a packet, a pocket, a pocketbook, a pouch, a purse, clutch or a sack. It minimally has a front and a back. It may include sides, bottoms, and a top as desired.

As used herein the term “front panels” of the handbag refers to the panels with largest area including the front and back of the handbag.

Disclosed and claimed herein is a handbag comprising transparent outer front panels having an outside and an inside. The handbag may be of any size, but has required dimensions if being used for entrance into public venues that have applied a bag policy, such as, for example, 12″×6″×12.″ The panels of the handbag, front, back, side, and bottom are made of materials that are transparent so that the contents may be seen by security personnel when proceeding through security checks.

Suitable transparent materials are material through which the naked human eye can see, such as, for example polyvinyl chloride, vinyl, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyolefin, polyacrylate and other transparent materials.

Depending on the desired handbag configuration, the handbag may only be composed of two front panels whose sides are attached at the ends and whose bottoms are attached at the ends thus forming a pouch. The handbag may further include a bottom panel to which the bottoms of the front panels are permanently attached. The handbag may further include side panels whose ends are attached to the ends of the sides of the front panels. The handbag may also have other attachments such as, for example, straps, pockets, zippered pockets, loops and the like, which are also made from transparent materials which allow inspection of items inside the handbag.

The handbag further has opaque inner panels wherein the opaque inner panels are collapsible inside the handbag. The panels may take the form of flat sheets which are individually attached to the inside of the transparent outer front panels. In handbags with transparent side panels, opaque inner panels may or may not attach to them as well. The panels may be attached to each other at their respective ends so that the panels form a pouch or container which fits into the handbag configuration as a one piece unit.

The opaque inner panels are composed of material which has minimal structural integrity in that when they are not attached to the inside of the transparent outer front panels they readily collapse to the bottom of the handbag without the help of any outside force. Materials useful for the opaque inner panels are cloths, silks, polyesters, burlaps, cotton, wool, other textiles, paper, thin opaque plastics and the like which are thin enough so that that do not stand up on their own.

Because the opaque inner panels have no structural integrity attachments are required to hold the opaque inner panels in place when the handbag is in privacy mode. Attachments useful for the current disclosure include snaps, zippers, Velcro, adhesive, hooks, pins, and other attachments well known in the art. The attachment mechanisms may be positioned on both the transparent outer front panels and on the opaque inner panels, for example, in the aspect where snaps are used, either the male or female section of the snap may be positioned on the inside of the transparent outer panels and the corresponding female or male section of the snap may be positioned on the opaque inner panels. The attachments are positioned at least at the top of both the transparent outer front panels and the top of the opaque inner panels. In this manner the inner panels will stay up when in use to allow for hiding the items in the handbag. Attachments may also be positioned on the bottoms of both the outer and inner panels for added structural stability when in the privacy mode.

The opaque inner panels may contain indicia of a variety of types, such as, for example, colors, patterns, names, logos, designs and the like. For example, sports teams such as NFL, NHL, NBA, MBL, MLS NASCAR and the like may wish to have their names, team colors and logos associated with the handbag used to pass through security and enter the sports venue. Other organizations such as airlines may also wish to have their names, colors and logos associated with the bags. The opaque inner panels are designed to be removed from the handbag and replaced with other opaque inner panels of different design, color, logo, names, and the like, as desired.

In operation, a person places items into the handbag where the opaque inner panels are attached to the transparent outer panels of the handbag, as shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1 the opaque inner panel 12 is attached to the transparent outer front panel 10 using snaps 14 and 16 to hold the inner panel up and in place. Item 18 is not observable in this configuration (privacy mode). The handbag in this configuration also includes a logo 20 and a strap 22.

Thus the items cannot be seen by the casual observer. When the person goes through a security station and the handbag needs to be inspected, the opaque inner panels are detached from the transparent outer and allowed to collapse thus revealing the item(s) in the handbag as in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2 the snaps 50 on the opaque inner panel 42 have been detached from the snaps 44 and 46 on the transparent outer front panel 40. The opaque inner panel 42 has fallen into a collapsed position thus revealing item 48 (security mode). In this mode security personnel can readily observe what is in the handbag and quickly and efficiently pass the person through, assuming there are no banned items in the handbag, thus reducing the amount of time a person stands in a security line.

When the person has passed through the security inspection, the opaque inner panel 42 is lifted and reattached to the transparent outer front panel 40 using snaps 44 and 46 to arrive at the initial privacy mode as shown in FIG. 1.

In this manner the items in the handbag, whether of a personal or private nature or not, are quickly observed by security personnel and are unobservable to the public after the security inspection. 

I claim:
 1. A handbag, comprising: a) transparent outer front panels having an outside and an inside, and b) opaque inner panels wherein the opaque inner panels are collapsible inside the handbag.
 2. The handbag of claim 1, further comprising an attachment positioned on the inside of the transparent outer front panels and an attachment on the opaque inner panels, wherein the opaque inner panels are removably attached to the inside of the transparent outer front panels.
 3. The handbag of claim 2, wherein the attachments are further positioned at least on the top of the inside of the transparent outer front panels and at least on the top of the opaque inner panels.
 4. The handbag of claim 3, wherein the opaque inner panels are configured to be connected to each other at the side ends and at the bottom.
 5. The handbag of claim 3, further comprising at least one of an opaque bottom panel to which the bottoms of the opaque inner panels are permanently attached, or opaque end panels to which the side ends of the opaque inner side panels are permanently attached.
 6. The handbag of claim 2, wherein contents of the handbag are not observable through the transparent outer front panels when the opaque side panels are attached to the attachments of the transparent outer front panels, and wherein contents of the handbag are observable through the transparent outer front panels when the opaque side panels are detached from the attachments of the transparent outer front panels and in a collapsed position.
 7. The handbag of claim 2, further comprising at least one of a transparent bottom panel to which the bottoms of the transparent outer front panels are permanently attached, or transparent end panels to which the ends of the transparent outer front panels are permanently attached.
 8. The handbag of claim 2, wherein the transparent outer front panels are comprised of PVC, vinyl, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyacrylate or polyethylene terephthalate.
 9. The handbag of claim 2, wherein the opaque inner panels are comprised of cloth, plastic, paper, silks, polyesters, burlaps, cotton, wool, other textiles, or thin opaque plastics
 10. The handbag of claim 2, wherein the opaque inner panels comprise indicia.
 11. The handbag of claim 2, wherein the bottoms of the opaque inner panels are permanently attached to the bottom inside of the transparent outer front panels.
 12. The handbag of claim 11, further comprising an attachment positioned on the inside of the transparent outer front panels and an attachment on the opaque inner panels, wherein the opaque inner panels are removably attached to the inside of the transparent outer front panels.
 13. The handbag of claim 12, wherein the attachments are further positioned at least on the top of the inside of the transparent outer front panels and at least on the top of the opaque inner panels.
 14. The handbag of claim 13, wherein the opaque inner panels are configured to be connected to each other at the ends and at the bottom.
 15. The handbag of claim 13, further comprising at least one of an opaque bottom panel to which the bottoms of the opaque inner panels are permanently attached, or opaque end panels to which the side ends of the opaque inner side panels are permanently attached.
 16. The handbag of claim 12, wherein contents of the handbag are not observable through the transparent outer front panels when the opaque side panels are attached to the attachments of the transparent outer front panels, wherein contents of the handbag are observable through the transparent outer front panels when the opaque side panels are detached from the attachments of the transparent outer front panels and in a collapsed position.
 17. The handbag of claim 12, further comprising at least one of a transparent bottom panel to which the bottoms of the transparent outer front panels are permanently attached, or transparent end panels to which the ends of the transparent outer front panels are permanently attached.
 18. The handbag of claim 12, wherein the transparent outer front panels are comprised of PVC, vinyl, polyolefin, polycarbonate, polyacrylate or polyethylene terephthalate.
 19. The handbag of claim 12, wherein the opaque inner panels are comprised of cloth, plastic, paper, silks, polyesters, burlaps, cotton, wool, other textiles, or thin opaque plastics
 20. The handbag of claim 12, wherein the opaque inner panels comprise indicia. 